1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of cooking appliances and, more particularly, to mounting a gas burner assembly to a cooking appliance having a ceramic-based cooktop.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A conventional gas cooking appliance will typically incorporate a cooktop having a surface which is generally formed of coated metal or glass. The cooktop is provided with one or more openings for receiving a gas operated burner assembly. More specifically, a portion of the gas operated burner assembly projects from an area below the cooking surface through the opening in the cooktop. Typically, the gas operated burner assembly is rigidly secured to a chassis of the appliance and either fixedly or loosely secured to the cooktop surface. Whether a fixed or loose connection is employed, some type of sealing arrangement is typically provided between the cooking surface and the gas operated burner assembly in order to seal the opening and thus prevent liquids and other foreign material from falling into the area below the cooking surface.
Other known gas appliances incorporate ceramic based cooktops, i.e., xe2x80x9cCERANxe2x80x9d, glass-ceramic or tempered glass cooktops. Due to characteristic material limitations, interior portions of such ceramic based cooktops must be allowed to flex when the appliance is in operation. For at least this reason, either a loose connection, or no connection at all is provided between the gas operated burner and the ceramic based cooktop, while a rigid connection is employed between the gas burner and the appliance chassis. Typically, the gas burner is mounted on rails which extend below and parallel to the cooktop, or upon support structure that projects from the chassis. The burner is then mounted to the rails/support structure in a manner that results in a portion of the burner projecting through an opening in the cooktop. With either arrangement, since the gas burner assembly must still project through the cooktop, it is extremely difficult to adequately center the burner assembly within the opening or to provide an effective seal between the burner and the cooktop.
Although there have been several attempts made in the art to provide an arrangement wherein a gas burner is secured to a glass cooktop, there still exists a need in the art for a gas burner assembly for use in connection with a cooking appliance incorporating a ceramic or ceramic/glass based cooktop, wherein the burner is decoupled from the cooktop, yet effectively centered within the burner opening and securely connected without requiring a separate seal or gasket between the burner and the cooktop.
The present invention is directed to a gas burner mounting assembly in a cooking appliance including a ceramic-based cooktop, wherein a gas burner assembly includes upper and lower portions secured one to the other with the cooktop being sandwiched therebetween. With this arrangement, the gas burner assembly is centered within an opening in the cooktop without requiring a seal positioned between the gas burner and the cooktop. Moreover, the gas burner assembly is secured to the cooktop such that movement of the appliance or the burner will not cause damage the cooktop.
In accordance with one preferred form of the invention, the cooktop includes a frame member having a top surface, a bottom surface and a ceramic-based panel secured to the top surface of the frame member. An opening is provided in both the ceramic-based panel and the frame member for receiving the burner assembly. More specifically, the gas burner assembly is mounted to a plurality of mounting flanges that extend from the frame member into the opening. The gas burner assembly includes a gas orifice holder having a frusto-conical projection and a burner base having a corresponding frusto-conical receiver adapted to matingly engage with the frusto-conical projection. The burner base includes a peripheral support surface interconnected to the frusto-conical receiver through an intermediate section. An annular ring, including a plurality of flame discharge ports, projects upwardly from the support surface.
The gas orifice holder is positioned below the bottom surface of the frame member so that at least a portion of the frusto-conical projection extends through the opening in the cooktop. The burner base is engaged with the orifice holder through the frusto-conical receiver and secured thereto with a plurality of fasteners that extend through the mounting flanges. With this construction, the frusto-conical projection provides a centering function for the base member. Moreover, the interface between the orifice holder and the burner base alleviates the requirement for providing a seal between the burner assembly and an upper surface of the cooktop.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gas burner assembly includes a burner base, a gas orifice, a burner plate and a gasket. The burner plate is provided to position the gas orifice holder and burner base within an opening in the cooktop. In further accordance with the present embodiment, a gasket is provided between the burner plate and the cooktop. The gasket serves as a damper, absorbing a portion of a clamping force generated between the burner base, the gas orifice holder and the cooktop.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.